Pressure seal



April), 1949- NA. CHRISTENSEN 2,467,370

' PRESSURE SEAL Original Filed April 15. 1943 INVENTOR. NIELJ ,4 CHmrmvmv 6 ,5 ynwu 8 771 662142.

Patented Apr. 19, 1949 Niels A. Christensen, South Euclid, Ohio IOriginal application April 15, 1943, Serial No.

483,165. Divided and this application Novembe! 13, 1945, Serial No.628,250

Claims. 1

This invention relates to an improvement in packing devices andparticularly to an improved pressure seal which prevents the escape offluid under pressure between the coacting surfaces of two relativelymovable members. The present application constitutes a division of myapplication for Letters Patent Serial No. 483,165, filed April 15, 1943,now Patent No. 2,394,364.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a pressure sealin a universal joint, particularly where applied to a universal pipecoupling, that is used for connecting together. conduits which carryfluid under pressure.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view illustratingthe invention in connection with a ball and socket joint for fluidconduits; Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on a plane indicated bythe line 2-2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on anenlarged scale of a packing ring used in connection with the presentinvention; Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of the packin ringillustrated in Fig. 3 when assembled in the coupling, and Fig. 5 is amodified form of universal joint structure.

The invention is applied to a universal joint between two conduits and,as is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, comprises two socketmembers l9 and l l which are held together by suitable bolts I2. Eachsection houses a segmental ball member l5 which is provided with ahollow extension l6 that projects outwardly through an opening ll in thesocket of the associated section. Each opening is of sufficient size topermit a certain amount of relative universal rotation between thesocket and its associated ball segment. The ball segments are retainedin spaced relationship by a sphere 20 which rests in seats 2i formed inthe respective ball segments.

A fluid passageway 25 in each extension or nipple [6 extends through theinterior of each ball segment and communicates with an a'rcuately andaxially extending slot 21 which in turn communicates with the space 29between the two segments. an annular groove 39 for the reception 'of apacking ring 35. The packing rings are preferably made of solidrubber-like material of synthetic composition which is very dense andyet possessive of great liveliness and elasticity. Each ring is normallycircular in shape and, prior to assembly, is also circular in crosssection, as indicated in Fig. 3. The outer diameter of the ring isslightly larger than the diameter of the circular portion of the socketwith which the packing is intended to engage, whereby when the ring isassembled Each ball segment is provided with 2 within the associatedgroove 30, it will be compressed into a substantially ellipsoidal shapeas is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 4.

Each annular groove 30 is wider than the major axis of the compressedring, as a result of which the packing will move slightly within thegroove in accordance with variations in difference of pressure betweenthe interior and exterior portions of the coupling, and such movementkneads or works the material of the ring, thus keeping it alive andpliable and eliminating scufling which would otherwise be caused by thestatic sliding of a totally confined resilient material along thesurface of the confining member.

To protect the relatively movable surfaces of the coupling against theentrance of dust or other foreign material, I have shown dust shieldswhich embrace shouldered portions 4!. on the socket members and engagebehind shoulders 42 on the extensions IS. The shields are made 0!rubber-like material so as to retain asnug engagement with therespective moving parts of the joint, and yet permit freedom of movementwithin the permissible range for which the joint parts are designed.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modified form of universal joint which utilizesonly one ball member 50. In this form of construction the sphericalsocket is formed by two members 55 and 55, the member 55 being providedwith a threaded bosslike hollow extension 51 to which a conduit may besecured, and the member 56 havin an opening 58 through which anipple-like extension 59 of the ball member projects. The extension 59is provided with an axially extending bore 50, the

- end of which is enlarged, as at SI, for communication with thepassageway within the extension 51, thus allowing for an unobstructedfiow of fluid through the joints while at the same time permitting theswingingof the ball within the socket. The ball 50 is provided with anannular recess 62 in which is mounted a packing ring 63, the ring andrecess having substantially the same relationship as,that heretoforedescribed between the ring 35 and the associated groove 30 in connectionwith Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive. A dust shield 65 of rubberlike material isadapted to embrace the section 68 behind a shoulder 51, and to engageagainst a shoulder 58 on the extension 59 to prevent the accumulation ofany dirt on the exposed surfaces adjacent the relatively movableportions of the coupling. i

In units of the type shown in the present application, gaskets may ormay not be used between two halves of the sockets. Ordinarily a groundjoint is preferred to a gasket, because the former assures a moreperfect flt between the surfaces of the ball and the socket, thusdecreasing the tendency for fluid to escape between the surfaces. Oneform of construction employed, however, includes a recess, such as thatindicated at Ill, in one of the socket members into which a lip II onthe face of-the other member projects, thus resulting in the formationof an axial shoulder I2.

An advantage of a fluid coupling made according to the present inventionis the fact that the Joint is eflectively sealed without the need for apacking gland and screw threaded couplings which usually depend uponfriction for obtaining a leak-proof Joint. The present invention allowsthe coupling members to be moved readily with reference to each other,and by virtue of the relationship between the packing ring and groove,

a leak-proof joint is readily maintained under all positions of thejoint within the range of limit of movement thereof.

I claim:

1. A universal coupling for a fluid pressure conduit, comprising atwo-part socket member, each part being provided with axially alignedopenings and forming an internal spherical socket, a segmental ballmounted in each socket member, said ball having shaft-like portions eachextending through the opening in its respective socket and having afluid conduit passageway extending therethrough, a relatively smallsphere disposed between two segments to maintain them spaced apart andin contact with the walls of the socket, and means providing a channelin each segment for the admission of fluid through the shaft thereofinto the space between the two segments, communicating with an arcuatechannel about said 2. A universal coupling for a fluid pressure conduit,including a socket member having axially aligned openings therein, amember with a spherical surface disposed within said socket member andhaving a conduit extension thereon projecting through one of saidopenings, one of said members having an annular groove therein with abottom and side walls, said bottom being concentric with said sphericalsurface, a ring packing in said groove, said ring having a largerdiameter than the depth of the groove, whereby the ring is deformed whenpositioned in said groove and when the ball is disposed within saidsocket member, and said groove having a width larger than the maximumcross-sectional dimension of the deformed ring to permit movement of thering within the groove consequent upon relative movement between theball and socket members.

3. A universal coupling for a fluid pressure conduit, comprising asocket member, a ball member spherical surface of the ball member, aring packing disposed within the groove and operating to effect a sealbetween the ball and socket member, said packing ring being adapted tobe deformed under pressure and having a cross-sectional circular shapeprior to deformation, the normal tive movement between its segment andthe housing.

cross-sectional diameter of the packing ring being larger than the depthof the groove, whereby the ring is deformed to substantially ellipticalshape when positioned within the groove and when the ball is disposedwithin the socket member, said groove having a width larger than themaximum cross-sectional dimension of the deformed ring to permit rollingmovement of the ring in the groove consequent upon relative movementbetween the ball and socket members.

4. A universal coupling for a fluid pressure conduit, comprising atwo-part socket member, each part being provided with axially alignedopenings and forming an internal spherical socket, a segmental ballmember mounted in each socket member, each ball member having ashaft-like portion extending through the opening in its respectivesocket member and having a fluid conduit passageway extendingtherethrough, means disposed between said ball members to maintain themin spaced relationship and in contact with the walls of the socketmembers, at least one of the coacting ball and segment members having anannular recess in its periphery, the bottom of said recess beingconcentric with the surface of said member, apacking ring in saidrecess, said recess being wider than the packing ring, whereby the ringwill roll in the recess consequent upon relative movement between theball and socket members.

5. A universal joint for connecting two tubular conduits comprising apair of hollow members each having an interior surface which is a zoneof a sphere terminating at a diametric plane, the two members havingexternal annular flanges abutting each other in said plane, means forsecuring the flanges together, each of the members having a centralopening, a ball member retained within the socket provided by the twomembers and having a tubular shankextending through the opening of oneof the members, the exterior surface of the ball member and the interiorsurface of the socket-members being concentrically spherical onsubstantially the same radius and one of such members having an annulargroove of greater cross-sectional width than its depth, and a toroidalelastic ring occupying said groove and compressed against the oppositemember, said ball member having a conduit within it leading from thetubular shank to the opposite side of the ball member, and tubular meanscommunicating with said conduit.

NIELS A. CHRISTENSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following referencesare of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 122,614 Kearney Jan. 9, 1872386,547 Martin July 24, 1888 397,981 Haggett Feb. 19, 1889 910,687Jenkins Jan. 26, 1909 1,263,777 Langton et al Apr. 23, 1918 1,568,161Christenson Nov. 24, 1925 1,906,575 Goeriz May 2, 1938 1,959,259 ZerkMay 15, 1934 2,370,964.) Janette Mar. 6, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 12,857 Great Britain June 3, 1907 484,838 Great Britain May11, 1938 123,510v Germany Sept. 12, 1901

